There is no reason why a web site doing this is any worse than a web site doing anything else with JavaScript, Java, Flash, Silverlight, etc. If your browser lets people run programs on your computer, they will. If you don't like it, disable it with noscript, complain to your browser developer that they shouldn't allow unfettered scripts by untrusted web sites.

One browser feature I'd like to see is allow untrusted web sites to run scripts for only a second or two per user interaction. Video players would need to use HTML5 video or get permission from the user for long-running scripts.

And the world thought web miners were great. I actually got scoffed at the last time I voiced concern over the active development of CPU and WebCL web miners.

You're right, stealing resources is wrong.

I have adblockplus, so I added the filter

Code:

||bitp.it^

For now you can just block the script host, but as people start coding their own web miners, we'll be in for a real hassle...

Thank you, I have updated my filter and the resource vampire has been smitten. This could become a real problem...

"And what the enemy will see, they will see the flash of our cannons, and they will hear the ringing of our swords, and they will know what we can do! By the sweat of our brow and the strength of our backs and the courage in our hearts! Gentlemen, hoist the colors!"